Giving Warmth
by kysunsang
Summary: Even the coldest of people have a bit of warmth in their hearts. Shinji finds his own in a desperate situation. Fluff! Ikarishipping, ShinjixHikari, DawnxPaul.


This was a fanfic I wrote while I was freezing my nose off in my room

This was a fanfic I wrote while I was freezing my nose off in my room. Cold in August you say? Well it is! God I need a heater…ah well. This is a cutsey little drabble for your enjoyment…so if you did squee at the end, I have fulfilled my mission :P

Anyways please enjoy the heartwarming (ha ha?) one-shot.

**Warning: **Mostly the problem may be OOC-ness. And oh yes, cursing. HIDE YOUR CHILDREN!

As always, disclaimer is implied.

**Giving Warmth**

"_Deep down we have the qualities of clarity, awareness, sensitivity, warmth and love…but, we have little idea at the outset just how deep and vast those qualities can be."_

**_'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-Start-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'_**

"Goddamn this weather."

Shivering from the cold, Shinji cursed inwardly at his predicament. He had forgotten how FREEZING it could be in the path between Snowpoint and Mt. Coronet…

Now he was stuck in some god-forsaken cavern as a dangerous blizzard raged on, biding time and hoping for the snow to ease off a little. Although Shinji was somewhat protected from the cold with his dark sweatpants and long-sleeved jacket, his body heat couldn't last forever. It was too cold even for his pathetic little Chimchar, which could have been useful at a pinch with his fire abilities…

But that was not the only thing that worried the male trainer.

Suddenly a figure huddling nearby in the shelter moved a little.

"W-w-w-where are-re…we? I-i-i-it's hah- c-c-c-cold…."

A pale, weak voice, barely audible with the howling wind, brought Shinji's attention. Concerned, he carefully walked to the other person with whom he was sharing the shelter: Hikari.

It really wasn't her fault that she became separated from her group in the snow. Out of the three in the gang, she was the slowest…and the most ill-prepared. She wore some warm clothes, but not enough…and the weather had hit her like a sledgehammer. So Hikari had fallen back when the Satoshi & Co. started trekking in through and had ended up in the same place into which Shinji had encountered and stayed.

Shinji now looked carefully into her blue eyes, and tried to calm the shivering girl by firmly holding her shoulders. Hikari looked back with dazed eyes, her mind focused more on the cold than the boy staring at her.

"A-a-a-re….w-w-w-we….d-d-dea-a-a-ad??"

Another faint cry issued from her lips, which soon became a harsh cough as her lungs breathed the icy air. Her pale face was so white it resembled the snow heaps outside the cave.

"No! We're not dead, stupid girl!" Shinji snapped at the girl before taking a moment to compose himself; he had to control his anger at this situation.

Ironically his cool demeanor, along with his aloof manner, seemed to melt away as the real ice began to threaten his life…and another's. Despite his indifference to people and Pokemon in general, he was not heartless enough to let a person die due to his pride.

Desperately, he tried to keep her awake; a nap here now would last a lot longer than one would desire.

"Idiot…you'd have been worse off outside… But my god…don't sleep now…"

The boy then realized steam – or was it something else – emanating from her already chilly face. Was it her heat? He did not bother pondering about it. But Hikari seemed to be losing herself as the storm went on…

"SHIT! Don't pass out on me!" Shinji swore loudly as Hikari's head began to droop; he also shivered violently as another cold draft hit his face.

This was definitely not a good situation. Realizing that standing around made him lose heat faster, Shinji fell and sank in front of Hikari, huddling in on himself so he would not lose too much body heat. He literally tried to curl up so that frost would not have extensive damage on his extremities. But one of his hands still held firmly onto Hikari's shoulder, just as a reminder that there was someone else for whom the boy had to care.

A few minutes of waiting, the shivering body he was clutching seemed to be weaker, colder. Alarmed, Shinji looked up to see the girl with half-lidded eyes, breathing in painful, faint gasps.

The boy was shocked at the inevitable: Hikari was dying.

"Ugh…oh damnit," Shinji cursed as the icy air made him cough harshly.

No response; she was too far away in mind to hear.

"FUCK! Don't you dare fall asleep on me-"

Hikari's eyes fluttered a bit, but the frost – or was it snowflakes? – obscured her opened pupils.

"Shin…ji…" a tiny voice, desperate but too tired, answered Shinji.

Although the response was small, it still relieved the boy. But such feelings vanished as Shinji furiously tried to assess a way to keep both of them warm until this damned blizzard blew itself away…

Shinji quickly crept over and pulled the half-frozen girl against him, trying to accommodate Hikari within his own cold arms. As the two bodies came close, the boy soon felt the girl's heart beat…it was there, barely…but still pulsing…living…surviving.

Only luck would save her now.

Knowing time was precious, Shinji tried to keep Hikari close, even rubbing her back up and down to generate some heat. Seeing that it was ineffective, he soon unzipped the front of his jacket, wrapping it around Hikari and pulling her against his chest. It was not exactly snuggling and a comfortable position for him to be in, but at least she'd survive…

"Shinji," Hikari spoke faintly, shaking; some life was coursing through her limbs. But at her state of weakness, all she did was lean her head against the boy's chest, trying to bury her face into the small warmth. Icy fingers interlocked and stayed as Shinji tried to grasp Hikari's hands in attempt to bring them back from the numbness.

At any other circumstance, Shinji would not have done this. He would have rather DIED than to be seen like this, trying to save some silly girl because he was scared…scared of the consequences that followed from any kind of death.

But now…survival mattered more than his pride.

He had to live; she had to live.

"Stay with me Hikari…don't you dare godamn die on me…" Shinji furiously thought; his lips were too cold for words.

Then Hikari's face stopped nuzzling against the boy's chest, and was slowly looking up…dazedly inquiring, wondering. Why, of all people, did Shinji do this for her?

Meanwhile, Shinji simply looked back at Hikari's delicate face, putting on his usual scowling veneer to hide his concern.

"Shinji…" Hikari managed to say again, a little louder this time.

"Hm?"

"It's-s-s…c-c-c-cold. S-s-s-so c-cold…" a half whine, a half plea issued from her lips before a shudder rendered her speech useless.

"Hikari!" Shinji shouted, a little louder than necessary, but fear drove him.

A silence. After Shinji feel Hikari's shudders subside, he felt the girl chuckle faintly.

"H-h-h-heh…you said my name…"

She looked up dazedly for a small smile.

As she did so, Shinji noticed Hikari's lips have a tinge of blue from the cold…and _something_ – was it lust? compassion? worry? – suddenly took control of his body, his actions.

The pair soon found themselves pressing their mouths together…kissing…and giving each other their own warmth.

Both first had stiffened from the lip contact; after all, this was the first time they had kissed anyone in the lips. If the kiss also had been in a safer situation, they would have blushed. However, the cold outside and their current situation wiped such petty feelings away.

"Mmm."

Hikari pressed the two mouths closer, managing to somewhat circle her chilly hands – which had been wedged between the two bodies when they had huddled – around Shinji's torso in the process. Despite the discomfort from those cold fingers, Shinji decided to ignore it…besides, his hands – which supported Hikari's back – weren't exactly warm either.

Then they closed their eyes as their tongues slipped into each other's mouths quietly…softly…not to explore and savor, but to seek. The pair wanted…NEEDED…heat, and their kissing showed it. No first-love ecstasy emerged, only desperation.

Despite it all, the kiss was subtly passionate, as if the storm had released their hidden gentleness.

Eventually Hikari and Shinji let go, both staring at each other and panting for breath. Hikari's eyes were definitely livelier and her lips were warm red. Shinji also seemed less cold, and he felt new warmth coursing through his being.

Now Shinji was so relieved that he wanted kiss Hikari again, but stopped himself; he thought it would be unfitting at this moment in time.

At a distance, the howling wind seemed to fade…it was a good sign, a sign of hope.

Shinji quietly grasped Hikari's not-so-cold hand, and gave it a small squeeze.

They were going to be okay.

--**Later**--

Hikari, as soon as she stepped her boots into the city, thought SnowPoint was a strange place.

Although just as snowy as the outside fields, there was a quality in snowflakes falling in the city that Hikari could not exactly identify. They were definitely softer…gentler…even warmer than the stinging ice missiles raging outside of the city.

Either way, the girl was very glad to be near people and civilization in general…although she did make it out of the snow route alive, it had been a harrowing…yet sweet…experience.

From the blizzard fiasco, Hikari had only received minor frostbites and a touch of hypothermia. But she had recovered well in the Pokemon Center. There, she finally was reunited with Satoshi and Takeshi, who were more than happy to see her alive and well. Now after taking a nap in one of the cots set up for visiting trainers in the Center, she had decided to wander around and see the ins and outs of the cozy place.

Snowflakes fell gently on her hair…the thick, pink coat that she borrowed…and her red, warm cheeks. Unlike the wild winter experienced before, this weather was nice. She almost felt as if she were in Twinleaf during Christmas…

"Watch where you're going, stupid girl."

Hikari suddenly turned around, coming face-to-face with Shinji. He had stayed briefly at the Pokemon Center with Hikari, but he had left to "tend to business," probably to have a gym battle with Suzuna for an Icicle Badge.

Now he looked just as frowsy as ever, now wearing a dark trenchcoat that he apparently bought somewhere nearby. His hands were jammed into its pockets and his cold breath escaped from his lips in small, gentle puffs.

"Well?" Shinji sounded irritated, as if he had lost all the kindness expressed before in the cave.

"Um, hi Shinji!" Hikari said quickly, her face brightening up a bit. "How was your 'business'?"

"Good. Done and over with," he shrugged. "Why does it matter to you, girl?"

"Well, I just was waiting for you…to say…um."

Shinji just looked bored, clearly wanting her to finish the sentence.

"…thanks for helping me stay awake. There…"

The boy grunted. Shinji was about to walk elsewhere when he felt Hikari's mittened hand grasp his sleeve.

"And um…"

Hikari quickly pressed her lips to kiss Shinji's cheek, which now reddened from the sudden touch rather than the cold.

His coat felt a little too hot…

"There. To warm your heart."

She soon ran off, for reasons Shinji could only wonder. The last sentence she had said was corny enough…

Snowflakes still fell, as the boy looked back at the retreating figure. It covered his eyelashes, lips, and cheeks…even the place where Shinji last felt Hikari's lips touch.

Unbeknownst to even him, Shinji quietly smiled.

Perhaps giving warmth was not a bad thing after all.

_**'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-Fin-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'-.-'  
**_  
Eh, not bad for something done while drinking tea…mmmm.

Please comment! Or no fics for you! (KIDDING!)

Also stay tuned for updates and new writings! I have the final chapter of the Ikarishipping fic soon…and hm, I do have to revive that Contestshipping fic…(and a possible Coma too. kekeke lemon)

Anyway, GO COMMENT! NOW! NOW! NOW! XD


End file.
